The effects of climate change are already being felt, but new weatherproof materials and building systems are designed to hold their own

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions is crucial to the earth’s sustainability, but the world must adapt to changing climate conditions. Extreme weather – heavier rains, longer heat waves, fiercer storms and more frequent droughts – are predicted on a global scale. Advanced building materials are designed to stand up in harsh weather, thereby protecting communities from potentially devastating consequences.

Innovative materials and techniques meet in Morphosis Architects’ floating house prototype, designed in collaboration with UCLA’s School of Architecture and Urban Design. Erected last summer as part of the Make It Right initiative in New Orleans, the Float House sits on a prefabricated base designed to act like a raft. It’s made of polystyrene foam coated with glass fibre–reinforced concrete, and contains integrated mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. In the event of a flood, the whole assembly rises vertically on fixed steel posts. Insulated structural panels for the walls and roof allow for quick on-site construction, while providing efficient thermal performance that reduces reliance on mechanical heating and cooling. Solar power and rainwater collection are also incorporated into the structure, putting it on track for a LEED Platinum rating. Since the house isn’t permanently elevated, it retains the local style of the shotgun house, complete with colourful siding and front porch.

While the challenges of global climate change can seem overwhelming, making buildings more resilient is all the more feasible with the help of the latest materials.

Read the full story in the print edition of our July/August 2010 issue
By Elsa Lam

Top: Float House prototype by Morphosis Architects